It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or is it? Maybe all it takes is some well-meaning but insensitive family member asking, “When are you going to have a baby?” to send you away from the holiday dinner table and into a spiral...
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Just how long does two weeks feel? If you are spending those two weeks on your dream vacation, those two weeks probably don’t feel anywhere near long enough. If you are spending those two weeks waiting to see if your embryos will become to...
A study released last year surfaced reason to believe that there may be a link between ibuprofen use and male infertility. You probably have a bottle of ibuprofen, which is also sold under the brand name Advil or Motrin, tucked away in your medicine...
Maybe she is in the midst of establishing her career. Maybe she is facing a serious health issue that may impact her fertility. Maybe she simply hasn’t found a suitable partner. Women may consider freezing their eggs for a variety of reasons in an...
Are you getting enough sleep? Awareness of the importance of sleep to overall health is growing, and researchers are beginning to make some connections to the role sleep plays in fertility. A 2018 study compared the infertility rates for a group of women with...
At its heart, conception is all about getting the right sperm to the right egg in the best place at the right time. Ovulation is central to the process. How much do you know about ovulation? Here are the basics: What is ovulation? Ovulation...
The causes of infertility split up fairly equally: One third of the time, infertility is rooted in problems with the woman’s reproductive system; one third is due to male factors; and one third is caused by issue with both the male and female partner...
For many of us, few activities are as anticipated as a good run. Just the thought of lacing up a favorite pair of running shoes, firing up that workout playlist and chasing a new PR (personal record) sparks joy. A wonderful sense of anticipation...
What facts have you uncovered about infertility on your journey? Maybe you’ve uncovered these facts: One in eight couples have trouble getting pregnant or staying pregnant on their own Just fifteen states require some level of fertility treatment coverage be provided in insurance plans...
In celebration of National Doctor’s Day on March 30, we thought it might be fun to shine the spotlight on Dr. Robert K. Hunter, our practice director, and get to know him a little better. Dr. Hunter is a native of Birmingham, Ala., and...
Keeping your heart happy and healthy during fertility treatment It only seems appropriate that February, the month that brings us Valentine’s Day, is also the month set aside to focus on heart health. But what does heart health have to do with fertility? Plenty....
Happy New Year! If your hopes for this year include growing your family, there’s a few things you can do to move one step closer to fulfilling that dream. In 2019, resolve to: Quit smoking. Smoking has a negative impact on fertility in both...
In the quest to become parents, many couples turn to complementary practices like acupuncture for help. What is acupuncture? According to the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture is a traditional Chinese practice which involves the insertion of very thin needs into the skin at strategic points...
I know you mean well, but…Infertility Etiquette — what to do and not to do when your friends and family are going through infertility. I had just suffered through my second miscarriage. I shared the sad news with an acquaintance, who was quick to...
Fertility legends and tall tales It’s October, a spooky season well-suiting to telling scary stories and tall tales around a campfire. But anyone struggling through infertility is likely haunted by a few myths that drive them absolutely batty. Here are a few fertility myths...
Talking to your employer about health care coverage for fertility treatment Financing infertility treatment is a significant challenge for most prospective parents. Since most of us who are covered by health insurance have that coverage provided through an employer, the first step to financing...
For LGBT couples, getting pregnant is just one piece of the planning for parenthood. LGBT couples may face legal and reproductive challenges that require a thoughtful approach and additional resources. Are you considering taking the plunge into parenthood? Consider these thought starters as you...
As you grow older, you can meet a lot of new challenges. You can run a marathon. You can run for president. You can climb a mountain. You can climb the corporate ladder. You can earn a bigger paycheck. You can earn your degree....
Perhaps you are at the start of your fertility journey, and you are sorting through the treatments and options available to you. You’ve doubtless encountered a host of acronyms and medical jargon. What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)? What is intrauterine insemination (IUI)? What’s...
Summer is right around the corner and what better time than to hit the beach. But you’re in the midst of fertility treatments and hoping to get pregnant within the next year. You remember the summer of 2016, when talk of the Zika virus...
April 22 – 28 is National Infertility Awareness Week. If you are in the midst of struggling with infertility, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the information that you may come across when you try to research more about your condition. We wanted...
When good tissue goes bad: dealing with endometriosis Many women experience discomfort around their period. Cramping, bloating, and fatigue are just par for the course, right? Not always. Symptoms including heavy, painful periods, pain during or after sex, bloody or painful bowel movements and...
Do dreary winter days have you longing for a tropical getaway? An extended retreat with your sweetheart might be just what the doctor ordered, especially if you are in the midst of fertility treatments. With proper planning and preparation, traveling during fertility treatment –...
Freezing embryos prior to in vitro fertilization may lead to more successful ongoing pregnancy rates in women who undergo in vitro fertilization using their own eggs. That’s the result of a recent study by several private and academic fertility centers around the United States....
“Happy holidays” rings hollow when you are struggling through infertility. Seeing all those “baby’s first” pictures popping up in your social media newsfeeds can bring a daily dose of pain. Answering “So, when will you be starting a family?” inquiries at holiday gatherings can...
“You have cancer.” It’s a phrase no one wants to hear. But hearing that diagnosis can be especially devastating to men and women in their childbearing years. In addition to questions about treatment, prognosis and survival, and people of childbearing age with cancer may...
One of the common causes of infertility is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Do you have questions about PCOS? We’ve answered several of the most common here: What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)? Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition where many cysts – small,...
Starting a family can be a challenge for any couple, but for same sex couples, the challenges and decisions may seem even more complex. How can same sex couples reduce the complexity? Navigating the process comes down to answering four basic questions: Where will...
Many concerns have been raised about the potential threat the Zika virus poses to pregnant women and the children they are carrying. While the risk to pregnant women seems clear, the risk to those who wish to become pregnant may less clear. What do...
One in eight couples struggle with infertility, and in half those cases, male infertility plays a part. As couples work with us through the process of diagnosing and treating infertility, it’s important to understand the role of male health. What causes male infertility? Male...
Every year, tens of thousands of couples in the United States conceive a child with the help of fertility treatments. In fact, since the first “test tube baby” was born in 1978, more than five million children have been born worldwide with the help...
If you’ve been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder you are not alone. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. are affected by thyroid disease. According to the American Thyroid Association, more women than men suffer from too much or too little thyroid hormone. In...
What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a disease involving growth of tissue outside the endometrial (uterine) cavity. It commonly involves the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, and even the bladder. Rarely, endometrial tissue spreads beyond the pelvic region. In endometriosis, the displaced tissue continues to act...
Can you blame your parents if you’re having trouble getting pregnant? The short answer is probably not. Your family history is not the biggest factor—or even one of the biggest factors—that affects your fertility. But let’s take a quick look at infertility causes first....
Here are the facts about the Zika virus and how it affects fertility. What is the Zika virus? The Zika virus may have been making a buzz recently, however, it’s not a new disease. The Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and named...
No one ever grows up expecting to have infertility, yet it is extremely common—affecting one in eight couples in the United States. Being diagnosed with infertility can be emotionally devastating, raising fears of invasive and expensive procedures that may or may not work and...
Once upon a time, a little girl with a big heart dreamed of being a princess and meeting her Prince Charming. In her dream she was surrounded by her very own little princesses and princes in a beautiful four-bedroom castle she shared with her...
It’s been 36 years since scientists successfully combined fresh egg and sperm in a petri dish to produce the first “test tube baby” born from in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although the technique seemed futuristic at the time, IVF has become a popular choice for...
But how do you know if egg freezing is right for you? There are several tests which can predict whether a woman has a faster biological clock, such as the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) test. This simple blood test helps to estimate what is called...